Ten parliamentarians have claimed for more than 100 premium air fares each, with some of the flights worth as much as £850. Over the past three years MPs have spent nearly £500,000 of public money on such tickets.

New rules introduced in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal usually oblige MPs to buy economy class tickets.

However, our investigation shows that 55 MPs have used a loophole to purchase business class fares that can be twice as expensive as standard class.

Campaigners described the purchase of business and club class tickets by MPs as “outrageous”, adding that members should pay for any upgrades out of their £65,000 annual salaries.

Details of politicians’ spending on luxury flights emerge just four days before George Osborne, the Chancellor, announces a further £11.5billion cuts to public expenditure in his latest Spending Review.

The expose raises questions about Parliament’s new expenses system and whether some MPs have failed to learn lessons from the scandal of four years ago.

Records kept by the expenses watchdog show that Eric Joyce has been reimbursed for more business class flights than another other Parliamentarian.

The Falkirk MP, who is serving a 12-month community order for committing assault in a House of Commons bar and has been stripped of the Labour whip, has made claims for 208 business-class flights worth £43,410 since May 2010. His most expensive flight cost the taxpayer £590.

Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, has claimed for 188 premium flights at a cost of £33,224.

There are MPs in neighbouring constituencies to Mr Joyce and Mr Murphy who only ever claim for standard or economy air fares.

Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy MP (Heathcliff O'Malley)

An aide working for Mr Murphy said that it was difficult to work discreetly on secret documents relating to his shadow defence role while travelling in economy class.

The loophole permits MPs to be reimbursed for premium air fares if they can find any standard fare that is cheaper. A business class ticket booked far enough in advance can be less expensive than an economy fare – although it is still often twice the price of a standard fare ordered at the same time.

Although IPSA have urged members to exercise “restraint” when spending public money, the current expenses system places MPs under no obligation to get the best deal for the taxpayer.

The Telegraph examined all of the 2,454 claims made by MPs for business or club class flights published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) since the new expenses system was introduced three years ago. The total value of these journeys was £488,856.

IPSA’s records show MPs were reimbursed for 1,208 business or club class flights during 2011/12 at a cost of £249,868 – up from £122,152 for 683 such tickets the year before.

Labour MPs enjoyed premium air travel on 1,541 occasions. Lib Dems claimed for 538 such flights, Scottish Nationalists for 363 and Tories - most of whom who have seats closer to Westminster - for 24.

Ann McKechin, Glasgow North MP has used public money to fly business class 116 times at a cost to the taxpayer of £21,405. The city’s six other MPs have only ever claimed for economy flights.

Ms McKechin said that MPs have a changing diary and need flexibility when they travel. “The House of Commons’ travel office is also able to negotiate a special rate,” she added.

Pete Wishart, the Scottish Nationalist MP, has been reimbursed for 171 business class tickets between Edinburgh and Heathrow. Two fellow Scottish nationalists - Stewart Hosie and Angus Robertson - have not claimed any premium air fares.

(Lt-Rt) Pete Wishart and Gordon Brown (REX/GETYY)

Other MPs who have travelled in business class courtesy of the taxpayer more than 100 times include the Lib Dems Mike Crockart, Alan Reid and Robert Smith.

Most of the air fares were purchased for travel between Westminster and the MPs’ constituency. However, politicians occasionally buy business class flights to attend conferences and other events overseas.

Last May Gordon Brown was reimbursed for an £886 business class flight from Edinburgh to Brussels. The former Prime Minister was visiting the Belgian capital to speak with the European Union’s international development commissioner and the UK ambassador to Brussels.

Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “It is outrageous that a number of MPs are still racking up huge bills living the high life at our expense.

“There is absolutely no justification for MPs travelling business class, especially when their own constituents are making the same journeys every day in economy. When our politicians should be looking for ways of saving money and cutting costs, it beggars belief that they feel it appropriate to waste taxpayers’ cash on business class flights.

“It’s little wonder that public faith in politicians is so low when they see them squandering our money on high-class travel. Any MP wanting to sit at the front of the plane should have to pay for the upgrade out of their own pocket.”

Only half of 58 Scotland’s MP have submitted claims for luxury air travel. Those who have not done so include the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell, Jo Swinson, Michael Moore and Alistair Carmichael, whose seat of Orkney and Shetland is the furthest constituency from Westminster.

David Mundell, the only Conservative MP in Scotland, has claimed for just two business-class air fares over the past three years. Danny Alexander, the Liberal Democrat chief secretary to the Treasury, took just three premium flights.

Stephen O’Brien, the MP for the Cheshire constituency of Eddisbury claimed three business class flights to commute to and from Westminster – the most of any Tory.

The first of 12 “fundamental principles” of the new expenses system is that members should “always behave with probity and integrity when making claims on public resources”.

A spokesman for IPSA said: “The rules are clear – they allow an MP to claim the cost of a business class flight only when it is cheaper than an economy ticket.

“We publish all the details of these claims so constituents can see exactly what their MPs are claiming for.”